Morning Bits

Gosh, maybe it’s a bad idea to pull out all our troops? “Iraq’s government is increasingly worried that a prolonged and bloody standoff in neighboring Syria could upset its own fragile security and fractious political order, especially as the U.S. military prepares to withdraw its last troops from the country.”

Gosh, even in Los Angeles patience wears thin for the unruly mob. “The Occupy Los Angeles protesters have probably received a warmer reception than most of their counterparts elsewhere in the country. With vocal support from the City Council, the protesters have been allowed to remain on the lawn outside City Hall for almost two months, without any major confrontations with the police. But even here, city leaders have finally lost patience with the Occupy encampment. Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa announced on Friday that City Hall Park would be closed at 12:01 a.m. on Monday. Those who refuse to leave may face arrest.”

Gosh, it’s almost like there is no market for an isolationist, liberal Republican with a grating personality. “Jon Huntsman struggles to rise in GOP race.”

Gosh, perhaps one of them is more electable? “In a hypothetical race between Obama and Mitt Romney, the current GOP favorite in New Hampshire, Romney holds a slim lead with 47% to 44% for Obama . . . Obama does better against former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. In this matchup, Obama holds a strong 52% to 40% lead with 2% favoring some other candidate and 6% undecided.”

Gosh, do you think they know what kind of leader he is? “ Newt Gingrich has failed to land any lawmaker endorsements since he’s risen to the top of the polls, a sign that those who worked with the former Speaker in Congress aren’t warming to him.”

Gosh, at least one Arab country is figuring it out. “Moroccans went to the polls Friday in the country’s first parliamentary elections since adopting a new constitution following mass protests over unemployment and corruption. . . . Both Parliament and the prime minister have greater powers under the new constitution, while the monarch’s sway has been slightly lessened. More than 300 international observers monitored the voting, alongside 3,500 Moroccan observers, the semiofficial Le Matin newspaper reported.”

Gosh, if only Egypt could be more like Morocco.“Egypt’s military rulers rejected calls Thursday to delay parliamentary elections scheduled to take place next week and issued a strongly worded statement that has the potential to further polarize the country as it reels from a week of violent protests. . . . The bloodshed and the manner in which the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has responded have led to unprecedented criticism of an institution that has for decades been considered sacrosanct.”